Cleaner stand for computer disks

ABSTRACT

A cleaner stand is provided for manipulating a computer pack completely enclosed in a cover providing a very simple means for releasing an internal lock which normally retains the cover to the pack of computer disks, after which the cover may be removed and the disks may be rotated on the stand while they are cleaned.

ilnite States atent Szabrak et al.

CLEANER STAND FOR COMPUTER DISKS inventors: Robert H. Szabrak; Wilbur J. Lutes,

both of Sandusky, Ohio Assignee: Sam Stein Associates, Inc., Sandusky, Ohio Filed: Sept. 11, 1972 Appl. No.: 287,657

1111. en A47! 25/00, Fl6m 11/20 Field of Search 15/210 R, 268; 21 1/40; 274/47 [451 Feb. 19, 1974 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,366,390 H1968 Applequist 274/47 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Baldwin, Egan, Walling & Fetzer [5 7] ABSTRACT A cleaner stand is provided for manipulating a computer pack completely enclosed in a cover providing a very simple means for releasing an internal lock which normally retains the cover to the pack of computer disks, after which the cover may be removed and the disks may be rotated on the stand while they are cleaned.

1 Claim, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEB FEB] 9l974 SHEET 2 BF 3 FIG.4

FIG.6

PATENTEUFEBI exam 3. 792.507

sum 3 or 3 CLEANER STAND FOR COMPUTER DISKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to means for facilitating the cleaning of a Honeywell computer disk which utilizes an assembly of a plurality of concentric parallel computer disks mounted on a central spindle to which is secured a bottom cover closing the entire space beneath the disks and above which is secured a downwardly opening pan shaped cover which has a top and side walls which, together with the bottom, completely enclose the computer pack. The cover is normally locked to the spindle by an internal lock. The computer stand of this invention provides a support on which the assembly of computer disks may be rotated when the bottom has been removed and provides a simple means for releasing the internal lock so that the cover may be removed to get at the disks for cleaning the same. Prior to this the practice was to use a tool to pry up under the cover to release the lock and thereafter the assembly of computer disks was rolled on its side during the cleaning operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stand on which a pack of computer disks may be supported for cleaning and which includes easily manipulated means for releasing the internal lock which normally holds the top cover to the assembly of computer disks.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the accompanying specification and drawings and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning stand of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the computer stack in position on the cleaner stand with the top cover in place;

FIG. 3 is an elevation similar to FIG. 2 but with the top cover removed;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively perpspective views of the top cover, the assembly of concentric computer disks and the bottom cover;

FIG. 7 is a fragmental top plan view of the central portion of the top of the assembly of computer disks, enlarged, taken generally along the line 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a central sectional view, enlarged, of the spindle which is centrally located in the pack of computer disks illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 isa central sectional view, enlarged, taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 1; while FIG. 10 is a central sectional view, enlarged, taken along the line 1010 of FIG. 4.

The cleaner stand of this invention as best seen in FIG. 1 comprises an upstanding pedestal which is rigid with and supported by a base 21 adapted to rest upon a supporting surface. As here shown, the base comprises a plurality of radially extending legs 21a welded at their inner ends to the pedestal 20 and having suitable extensions such as feet 2112 downwardly extending at the outer ends of the legs.

To properly understand the cleaner stand, it will be necessary to give a brief description of the computer pack with which the stand is used. As best seen in FIGS. 2 through 6, an assembly 22 of a plurality of parallel concentric computer disks 22a is mounted on a central spindle 23 and this pack or assembly is normally completely enclosed. The enclosure includes a bottom 24 which is generally circular with an upstanding cylindrical rim 24a which is secured to the assembly 22 by a frusto-conical nut 25 having a lower head, not shown, which underlies the bottom 24 so as to support the same and having an internal thread 25a by which the nut 25 is secured on the threads 23a of the spindle 23 as shown in FIG. 8.

The cover 26 is pan-shaped opening downwardly and having a flat circular top 26a and an integral downwardly extending side wall structure which is generally cylindrical as shown at 26b. Centrally of the cover is a handle 27 as best seen in FIG. 10 which is permanently secured to the cover 26 a and provided centrally of its underside by keeper means 28 which, as shown in FIG. 10, comprises a toroidal opening 28a into which retractable radially extendible projections 29, carried by the spindle 23, as seen in FIG. 8 are adapted to lockingly extend in one of their positions.

The pins 30, downwardly extending, have nothing to do with the present invention but are best seen in FIG. 10. These pins extend from the member 28 and are adapted to enter into any of a plurality of openings 31 in FIG. 5 so that the handle 27 may be used to rotate the computer assembly in use thereof.

The balls 32 shown in FIG. 8 have nothing to do with the present invention but are used in the operation of the computer, at which time they are projectedradially outwardly from the position shown in FIG. 8 by the cam 33 on the rod 34 which reciprocates axially of the spindle 23 as will be later described.

The spindle 23 provides the reciprocating rod 34 which is supported for vertical movement axially of the spindle by the spindle portion 35 at the upper end and the portion 36 at the lower end as clearly seen in FIG. 8. Means is provided for normally urging the rod 34 in its downwardly direction which here comprises a compression spring 37 held between the top of the rod 34 at its lower end and by the cap 38 at its upper end, the latter being secured to the spindle structure 23. Rigid with the rod 34 is a cam 39 which, when the rod is in its lowermost position as shown in FIG. 8, has a larger portion 39a which holds the radially movable balls 29 in their outermost or locking position, at which time they enter into the toroidal portion 28a of the member 28 described in connection with FIG. 10. When the rod 34 is raised to an upper position, as later described, then the cam portion 39b, of lesser radial extent than 39a, permits the balls 29 to move radially inwardly so as to release them from locking relationship with the toroidal locking rack 28a. The balls 29 are captured in suitable openings 23b of the spindle 23 as shown in FIG. 8 which prevents movement of the balls 29 longitudinally of the spindle.

The pedestal 20 has a rigid upper end 40 which is complementary to the downwardly opening recess 22b of the computer disk assembly 22 which normally receives the frusto-conical nut 25 as shown in FIG. 8. This is shown in FIG. 9 as being part of a nylon block 41 which is rigidly secured to tubular member 42 which in turn is secured to a metal ring 43 which is welded to the legs 21a of the base as previously mentioned. Centrally of the pedestal 20 and axially of the extending upper end 40 thereof, is a reciprocatably mounted plunger 44 which is reciprocated by means of a handle 44a extending radially from the plunger through an opening 42a, 42b in the tubular member 42. As best seen in FIG. 2, the handle 44a when in the notch 42a is held there by the downward pressure of spring 37 as shown in FIG. 2, but when lifted and placed in the upper notch 42b as shown in FIG. 3, holds the plunger in its raised position as will presently be described. It will be noted that the plunger has an upwardly extending central pin 44b which, when the plunger 44 is raised upwardly, enters a small opening 23b in the bottom of spindle 23 as shown in FIG. 8 where the pin 44b is then in position to raise the rod 34.

The operation of this invention should now be readily understood. When the computer pack is in use, the bottom, as shown in FIG. 6, is secured to the assembly of the pack of disks shown in FIG. by having the securing nut 25 threaded on the lower end of the spindle 23 as shown in FIG. 8. The cover 26 comes downwardly over the pack of FIG. 5 and enters inside of the rim 24a of the bottom 24 and is locked in position by the balls 29 entering the toroidal keeper recess 28a as previously described. At this time, the cam 39 secured to the rod 34 in the spindle 23 is in its downward position as shown in FIG. 8 so that the balls 29 lock the cover to the spindle and to the bottom 24 so that the pack is completely enclosed. In using this invention, the nut 25 is first unscrewed from the threads 23a at the lower end of spindle 23, thus releasing the bottom 25 from the enclosed pack 22. Referring to FIG. 2, the pack with the bottom removed is now placed on the pedestal of the cleaner stand with the upstanding end 40 of the pedestal entering the frusto-conical recess 22b (which formerly received the nut The pack is now rotatable on the extension of the pedestal 20. The operator now grasps the handle 44a of the plunger 44 and moves it from the lower recess 42a in tubular member 42 to the upper recess 42b as shown in FIG. 3. This motion is against the compression spring 37 and the plunger is held in the uppermost position by the handle 44a resting in the upper slot 42b as seen in FIG. 3. The raising of plunger 44 caused the pin 44b to enter through the opening 23b in the bottom of the spindle 23 and to engage the lower end of rod 34 and raise it sufficiently to cause the narrower portion of the cam 39b, as seen in FIG. 8, to lie radially inwardly of the balls 29. This permits the balls 29 to recede radially inwardly from the position shown in FIG. 8 so that they readily leave the toroidal keeper recess 28a, at which time the cover 26 may be removed by lifting on the handle 27. Then the assembly of disks is readily accessible as shown in FIG. 3 so that the individual disks 22a may be cleaned by using a tape cleaner brush or by using a very soft cloth or facial tissue wrapped about a wooden stick or the like which may be easily passed between adjacent disks 22a. When the computer pack is cleaned, it is readily re-assembled by replacing the cover 26 on the pack in the position of FIG. 3, then lowering the plunger to the position corresponding to the handle 44a in the position of FIG. 2, after which the cover 26 locked to the pack 22 may be lifted from the stand and the bottom 24 placed in position by screwing the frustoconical nut 25 on the lower end of spindle 23 as indicated in FIG. 8.

In the use of this invention, it is necessary to have the top cover 26 in position over the disk assembly 22 and locked to the spindle 23 both when the pack is placed on the cleaner stand and before it is removed from the cleaner stand.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaner stand for a computer pack, which pack comprises a central spindle, an assembly of a plurality of concentric computer disks mounted on said spindle, said assembly having a downwardly opening recess concentric with said spindle, the walls of said recess diverging downwardly in a predetermined pattern, a removable bottom member closing the lower end of said assembly, a securing nut held rotatably centrally of said bottom member and having a securing connection therewith, said nut threaded on the lower end of said spindle and having an outer surface complementary to said walls of said recess, and a cover having a top and depending side walls adapted to completely cover the top and sides of said assembly and when positioned in contact with said bottom completely enclosing said assembly, there being retractable radially extendible projections on said spindle which when extended lockingly engage suitable keeper means in said cover, said projections having mountings in said spindle preventing movement of said projections longitudinally of said spindle, there being a small opening through the bottom of said spindle; said cleaner stand comprising a base, a pedestal rigid with said base and vertically extending therefrom, said pedestal having a rigid upper end complementary to the walls of said downwardly opening recess of said assembly, a plunger having a vertical axis concentric with said pedestal upper end and reciprocatably mounted in said pedestal, means for vertically reciprocating said plunger through said upper end, means for holding said last named means in a vertically raised position, a rod mounted for vertical reciprocation axially of said spindle, said rod extending to the bottom of said spindle, means urging said rod downward, a pin on the upper end of said plunger adapted to pass through said opening in the bottom of said spindle and to reciprocate said rod, and a cam on said rod positioned to engage said radially extendible projections in a lower position of said plunger and to hold said projections outward in locking position, said cam so formed that it permits radial retraction of said projections to an unlocking position in an upper position of said plunger, whereby said bottom member may be removed from said assembly by unthreading said securing nut, and said assembly with cover may be placed on said stand with said upper end of said pedestal snugly entered into said assembly recess and with said plunger in its lower position and said plunger may then be raised to cause said rod cam to move to projection unlocking position thus releasing said cover from said assembly. 

1. A cleaner stand for a computer pack, which pack comprises a central spindle, an assembly of a plurality of concentric computer disks mounted on said spindle, said assembly having a downwardly opening recess concentric with said spindle, the walls of said recess diverging downwardly in a predetermined pattern, a removable bottom member closing the lower end of said assembly, a securing nut held rotatably centrally of said bottom member and having a securing connection therewith, said nut threaded on the lower end of said spindle and having an outer surface complementary to said walls of said recess, and a cover having a top and depending side walls adapted to completely cover the top and sides of said aSsembly and when positioned in contact with said bottom completely enclosing said assembly, there being retractable radially extendible projections on said spindle which when extended lockingly engage suitable keeper means in said cover, said projections having mountings in said spindle preventing movement of said projections longitudinally of said spindle, there being a small opening through the bottom of said spindle; said cleaner stand comprising a base, a pedestal rigid with said base and vertically extending therefrom, said pedestal having a rigid upper end complementary to the walls of said downwardly opening recess of said assembly, a plunger having a vertical axis concentric with said pedestal upper end and reciprocatably mounted in said pedestal, means for vertically reciprocating said plunger through said upper end, means for holding said last named means in a vertically raised position, a rod mounted for vertical reciprocation axially of said spindle, said rod extending to the bottom of said spindle, means urging said rod downward, a pin on the upper end of said plunger adapted to pass through said opening in the bottom of said spindle and to reciprocate said rod, and a cam on said rod positioned to engage said radially extendible projections in a lower position of said plunger and to hold said projections outward in locking position, said cam so formed that it permits radial retraction of said projections to an unlocking position in an upper position of said plunger, whereby said bottom member may be removed from said assembly by unthreading said securing nut, and said assembly with cover may be placed on said stand with said upper end of said pedestal snugly entered into said assembly recess and with said plunger in its lower position and said plunger may then be raised to cause said rod cam to move to projection unlocking position thus releasing said cover from said assembly. 